


We Start To Smile

by alistoney



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Books, Fluff, M/M, Maia and Alec friendship, proposal, unlikely friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-09
Updated: 2019-02-09
Packaged: 2019-10-24 22:18:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17712683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alistoney/pseuds/alistoney
Summary: Maia has seen a lot of things working as a bartender at The Hunters Moon but she doesn’t think she’s ever seen a smiling Alec Lightwood before.





	We Start To Smile

**Author's Note:**

> So I’ve wanted to write a Maia and Alec friendship fic for ages and this seemed like the perfect opportunity!!! Yay for 3B countdown!!

Maia notices Alec Lightwood as soon as he walks into The Hunters Moon and makes himself comfortable at the end of the bar. It’s hard not to notice him with how tall he is, not to mention the way he stands out like a sore thumb, a lone Shadowhunter at a Downworld bar.

But she doesn’t really pay _attention_ to him until he starts to play with something in his hand, eyes fond and mouth turned up in a soft smile. Maia’s not sure she’s ever seen Alec Lightwood smile.

There isn’t anyone who needs anything at the bar at the moment so Maia moves over to where Alec’s sitting.

“What you got there?” Maia asks, echoing the same question she’d asked a certain warlock a long time ago.

She knows she doesn’t really know Alec. They’ve talked maybe once or twice, but she’s curious and it’s not everyday you see a smiling Alec Lightwood.

Alec surprises her by looking up and sending her a genuine smile.

“Um- well-“ Alec lets out a long breath and holds up the object in his hand, “it’s a ring.”

The ring is a band of white gold that has a curling patterned engraved into it. In the center there’s a glittering yellow jewel and Maia has to hold her breath at the way it reflects the light.

“It’s beautiful,” she breathes out and smiles when Alec’s face lights up. His big hazel eyes sparkle and he bites his lip as he smiles. He looks quite handsome as he looks up at Maia with big doe eyes and she can understand what Magnus sees in him for the first time.

“You think?” He asks, eyes wide as they move from Maia to the ring and the back again, “it’s for Magnus. The jewel matches his eyes.”

“He’ll love it,” Maia tells Alec with conviction.

Alec looks thankful for the reassurance and Maia can’t help but smile at him. He’s sweet.

She watches as Alec turns the ring over in his palm, the movement causing the light to reflect off the jewel and make it seem like it’s shimmering.

“He’s waiting for me at home. I have a date planned,” Alec says and Maia detects a hint of something she can’t quite name in his voice. Worry? Or maybe nervousness?

“So what are you doing here instead of there?” Maia asks carefully.

Alec blows out a dramatic breath that Maia would not have expected to come from the Head of the New York Institute, and closes his first around the ring.

“Trying to get rid of my nerves.”

Maia’s eyes widen in understanding.

“It’s an engagement ring,” she states, a smile quirking her lips involuntarily. She’d seen how Magnus had looked at the present Alec had gotten all those years ago. How enamored he’d been even back then, when the two of them had barely been anything. Now, she can almost picture the same awed expression on his face when he’s given the ring that is hidden in Alec’s palm.

“Yeah,” Alec breathes out, “yeah, it is.”

Maia watches as Alec opens his palm to stare down at the ring again. He lets out a soft chuckle before looking back up.

“I don’t know why I’m so nervous. We’ve talked about this, getting married, dozens of times. I’ve dreamed about asking him to marry me since the day I realized I was in love with him.”

Alec’s gaze has gone soft as he talks and Maia can’t help but be surprised by his words. Of course she knows Alec loves Magnus something fierce. Everyone knows that. Just like everyone knows that Magnus loves Alec just as much. But to actually hear that love seeping into Alec’s words as he talks about proposing to Magnus, is something else entirely.

“It’s okay to be nervous,” Maia tells him, leaning down so she can catch his eyes, which are again on the ring. When Alec is looking back at her with wide, soft eyes she smiles encouragingly, “You and I both know he’ll say yes.”

She doesn’t say it just to make Alec feel better. She says it because she knows.

“I know but I want it to be perfect.”

“Alec. Magnus will think anything you do is perfect. As long as it’s you.”

Alec’s cheeks flush pink but he still looks dubious. Maia almost rolls her eyes.

“Magnus came here after you got him that gift right when your relationship had first started out,” Maia starts, remembering the soft, surprised look in his eyes as he’d looked down at the gift, “he told me it was from someone special.”

When Maia looks back up at Alec it looks like he’s trying not to smile too wide.

“The omamori. He keeps it with him all the time,” Alec mumbles, ducking his head.

Maia smiles softly at the small self satisfied smile on Alec face as he looks back up at her.

“He loves you Alec,” Maia says. She knows Alec knows that. Everyone and their grandmother knows that Magnus loves Alec, but it looks like Alec needs to hear it anyway.

“And I love him. _So much,_ ” Alec replies, fingers fiddling with the ring and eyes bright with conviction.

“Then you better put a ring on it before I go and do it for you.”

Alec laughs and Maia can’t help but smile at the way Alec; hardass, moody head of the New York Institute, has completely softened and relaxed after talking about Magnus. About his future husband.

Maia better be invited to the wedding.

As Alec stands up to leave he points at Maia’s bag, which is laying on a stool behind the bar.

“You’re reading _Jane Eyre_?” he asks, lips curved up on one side in a half smile.

Maia grins and nods. It’s one of her favorite books and she always finds new things to love about it with every reread.

Alec’s half smile turns into a full on bright one and he shakes his head slightly, “I don’t know why we’ve never actually talked before. I like you,” he says matter of factly.

Maia tilts her head as she looks up and regards him. He’s sweet under the gruff Head of Institute persona.

“I like you too,” she decides.

“Maybe I can come back when I’m not panicking about the future of my relationship. You can tell me what you think of _Jane Eyre_ ,” Alec replies, gaze moving back to Maia’s bag.

She grins at him and drops her chin into her hands.

“I’d love to, but be warned I’ve actually read the book 4 times.”

Alec just smirks.

“I’ve read it 6.”

Maia laughs. Yes, she definitely likes Alec Lightwood.

Later, when it’s well past midnight and Maia is cleaning up the bar she gets a text from Alec Lightwood.

_He said yes._

**Author's Note:**

> Who doesn’t love a proposal fic?? 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed!! 
> 
> Comments and Kudos are appreciated <3
> 
> Tumblr: [lightwormsiblings](https://lightwormsiblings.tumblr.com)  
> Twitter: [alistoney1](https://mobile.twitter.com/alistoney1)


End file.
